Distribution Research Consultant

Caterpillar Inc.•Morton, IL

3d•$147,760 - $221,640•Onsite

About The Position

The Distribution Research Consultant serves as a business and subject matter expert supporting Caterpillar's Inventory Management systems and processes. The role leads cross-functional projects, integration activities, and advanced ad hoc analysis across Demand Forecasting & Inventory Planning (DFIP), Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP), Deployment, and Service Analysis. The position partners with business stakeholders, system architects, and IT teams to identify opportunities, evaluate complex business problems, develop integrated solutions, and support strategic Inventory Management initiatives. It requires a strong analytical and systems background, with the ability to connect processes and data across multiple planning systems and translate analysis into actionable business recommendations. The position is onsite five days a week in Morton, Illinois, with less than 10% domestic and international travel.

Requirements

Knowledge of existing and planned markets and market-related initiatives, including competition, suppliers, customers, and the regulatory environment, and the ability to apply that knowledge to diverse situations.
Understanding of cross-team collaboration and the ability to lead employees from various functions to communicate, coordinate work across divisions, and solve problems together.
Knowledge of effective influencing tactics and strategies, with the ability to impact decisions within and outside one's organization.
Knowledge of logistics and management, including following proper processes and running operations for efficient movement of materials and finished products.
Knowledge of planning and organizing tasks and resources systematically and methodically.
Knowledge of problem-solving approaches and tools, with the ability to recognize, anticipate, and resolve organizational, operational, or process problems.
Understanding of process improvement and the ability to evaluate current methods and maintain focus on continuous improvement.
Knowledge of supply chain management functions, principles, and techniques, and the ability to develop and use strategies, practices, and tools to control logistical processes.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Analytics, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Five or more years of experience within the supply chain field.
Experience with inventory management, demand forecasting, replenishment, deployment, or service-parts operations.
Experience supporting DFIP, DRP, Deployment, SAP SPP, or similar supply chain systems.
Experience with SAS, SQL, Python, Power BI, Snowflake, or other analytical tools.
Experience leading system integration, testing, enhancements, and business process improvement initiatives.
Knowledge of aftermarket parts distribution and Caterpillar supply chain processes.
Demonstrated ability to influence decisions through data-driven analysis and business recommendations.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Experience working with large datasets and complex business processes.
Strong understanding of integrated supply chain systems and processes.
Experience leading cross-functional projects and analytical studies.
Ability to work effectively across business and technical teams.

Responsibilities

Lead and support cross-functional projects across DFIP, DRP, Deployment, and Service Analysis.
Serve as an integration architect across Inventory Management systems and processes.
Perform advanced ad hoc analysis and develop data-driven recommendations to support business decisions.
Analyze inventory, service, forecasting, replenishment, deployment, backorder, and operational performance.
Identify process and system integration opportunities across Inventory Management platforms.
Develop analytical solutions and tools to improve decision-making, process efficiency, and visibility.
Lead testing, validation, and business readiness activities for system enhancements and process changes.
Investigate complex process and system exceptions and develop integrated business solutions.
Partner with DFIP, DRP, Deployment, Service, IT, Distribution, and other business teams to implement improvements.
Support strategic system and process transformation initiatives.
Maintain process documentation, controls, and governance for supported business processes.
Translate complex analytical findings into clear recommendations for technical and non-technical audiences.